Background: Early in the 2020 pandemic HCQ was approved for early use, and then rescinded when two studies claimed harm. Meanwhile, President Trump talked about HCQ in glowing terms at a press conference, and the leftists in media and Big Tech jumped on that as a reason to demonize a perfectly safe and effective treatment used in many countries with a lower death rate than the U.S. They also criticized American doctors who were using it, and ridiculed them. The American Medical Association finally reversed its harmful course in the November 2020 addendum to the Handbook, and in Resolution 509, approved its use in the early states. Just in case it disappears, here it is.
“Whereas, The original studies published in The Lancet and The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) initially citing harm due to hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine use were retracted by said journals due to dubious research methodology and incorrect conclusions,
Whereas, AMA policy H-120.988, “Patient Access to Treatments Prescribed by Their 38 Physicians,” supports a physician’s autonomy to prescribe medications the physician believes to 39 be in the patient’s best interest, where the benefits outweigh risk and the patient consents; and
Whereas, Physicians have used off label medications for years and this use is supported by 42 existing policy; and
Whereas, Data regarding harm have been limited due to poorly designed studies or studies usually in Stage 2 or later, or stopped without harm but no effect in phase 2 and hypothesis
Whereas, There are many studies that indicate that the use of Hydroxychloroquine, Azithromycin is effective and front-line physicians are using the therapy where permissible ; and
Whereas, The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious medical issue, people are dying, and physicians must be able to perform as sagacious prescribers; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That our American Medical Association rescind its statement calling for physicians to stop prescribing hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine until sufficient evidence becomes available to conclusively illustrate that the harm associated with use outweighs benefit early in the disease course. Implying that such treatment is inappropriate contradicts AMA Policy 8 H-120.988, “Patient Access to Treatments Prescribed by Their Physicians,” that addresses off label prescriptions as appropriate in the judgement of the prescribing physician (Directive to Take Action); and be it further
RESOLVED, That our AMA rescind its joint statement with the American Pharmacists Association and American Society of Health System Pharmacists, and update it with a joint statement notifying patients that further studies are ongoing to clarify any potential benefit of hydroxychloroquine and combination therapies for the treatment of COVID-19 (Directive to Take Action); and be it further
RESOLVED, That our AMA reassure the patients whose physicians are prescribing hydroxychloroquine and combination therapies for their early-stage COVID-19 diagnosis by issuing an updated statement clarifying our support for a physician’s ability to prescribe an FDA approved medication for off label use, if it is in her/his best clinical judgement, with specific reference to the use of hydroxychloroquine and combination therapies for the treatment of the earliest stage of COVID-19 (Directive to Take Action); and be it further
RESOLVED, That our AMA take the actions necessary to require local pharmacies to fill valid prescriptions that are issued by physicians and consistent with AMA principles articulated in AMA Policy H-120.988, “Patient Access to Treatments Prescribed by Their Physicians,” including working with the American Pharmacists Association and American Society of Health System Pharmacists. (Directive to Take Action) “
I have removed the footnotes from the partial document so it would be easier to read, but you can find them in the original document. Nov 2020 Special Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates - Handbook Addendum (ama-assn.org)
Considering that this was in an addendum to a handbook issued too late to be included and circulated before the election, the timing is definitely suspicious. I’m not familiar with this blogger, he wrote
“So, there we have it. HCQ could not be approved before the election, because President Trump had recommended it. Meanwhile, with an 8o +% reduced risk of having to be admitted to the hospital if administered with Azithromycin and Zinc as soon as testing positive or symptoms occurred, many (70000+) lives could have been saved.
It has come to my attention that the resolution, while adopted got stopped before a new and valid recommendation was issued. There are powerful interests in the AMA that want to keep things as they are rather than advance real medical science based on real results, and never admit a mistake. Meanwhile, people are dying because of lack of solid, but inexpensive medical solutions.”
American Medical Association Rescinds Previous Statement Against Prescription of Hydroxychloroquine to COVID-19 Patients. (Updated) – Len Bilén's blog, a blog about faith, politics and the environment. (lenbilen.com)
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